Total newbie question: air cooled vs. water cooled TIG?

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Ok, so I'm ready to take the leap and buy a TIG machine.  Like many hobby'ests, I've done some gas welding in the past, and I'm willing to bet that I have the patience to figure out TIG.  I also have a hard core machinist / welder friend across the street My instinct is to stick with a 200 amp class machine, with an air cooled torch.  Water cooling just seems like another thing to break, another thing to figure out, more consumables to buy, another piece of equipment (the cooler) to find a place for in the garage.But I do want to be able to weld thicker material from time to time (at least 1/4"), and I'm willing to pay for a 250 amp class welder and a cooler if it is the right thing to do.  I get that water cooled torches are smaller and thus can be easier to maneuver, that they run cooler (obviously!), etc.Any thoughts on this issue?  Is there a compelling reason to step up to water cooling?   I guess that is the critical question...Thanks!
Reply:Small torch and lighter weight is a big plus for WC torches. If you want to weld above say 150 amps for any length of time, a water cooled torch almost becomes a necessity. 1st go big on the machine if you want to think about heavy material. It's easy to upgrade a torch, not so easy to upgrade the machine. A good 17 series torch from CK is rated higher than standard 17 torches say from Weldcraft as far as duty cycle, so they hold up a bit better with higher amps, but do get hot fast. If buying the torch separate, go with something like this.Keep in mind not all torches use all the same parts. A 17 series torch and a 20 series water cooled torch use different parts. The 18 is the WC version of the 17 torches, and the 9 is the air cooled version of the 20 series water cooled ones.  Try and stick with the same parts and it will make your life easier.If I was getting a torch from scratch, I'd look at the 8 series size air cooled torches from CK. The duty cycle and amp rating makes them almost the same as my 17 series Weldcraft, and they are much smaller and more maneuverable. Then if you want, you can later upgrade to the 20 size water cooled torch no problem. At the tech school they do something similar, but use the larger 17 size air cooled and the 18 size water cooled torches. The 18's get kind of big and clunky. They also make a higher rated air cooled the 26 which uses the same parts as the 17/18 ones, but it's even bigger..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Are you wanting to weld aluminium at all? if not, then 200 amps with an air cooled hand piece is all you need, and you can look at a DC only inverter, which are much cheaper then a good AC Tig machine, and 6mm material will easily be done with a 200 amp machine, I just spent all day welding vertical up on 6mm Cro-Mo plate to 6mm wall, 28mm ID boiler tube at 170 amps.The other members here can fill you in on aluminium, as I only weld ferrous steel's.
Reply:If you're planning on feeding your machine any decent amount of aluminum, just go with a a watercooled torch now.  With aluminum, a portion of the wave is EP, so it puts a lot more heat into the tungsten and torch.  I started off air cooled and then my next machine came setup WC.  Once you use a 20 series WC, it's hard to go back.  Start hunting on eBay for torches and coolers before you get your machine. You'll save a lot of cash compared to the setups that come in new packages with machines.I bought my CK 20 with 25' superflex lines and a Miller Coolmate 3 for under $300 complete.  Just gotta hunt.
Reply:If you can afford to go with the water cooled machine you should go ahead and do that.  The water cooled torch and associated stuff does not take up much room and will allow you to weld for longer periods without the torch getting too hot to hold.  It will also make the machine harder to outgrow in too short a period of time.  Just my .02, but I would love to have a water cooled rig when I have a heavy tig project.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:As it is a hobby I assume you wont be using it for long periods at a time.  Such as welding a large tank or 100 box assemblies.  So I would say keep it simple with an air cooled torch.If your machine is DC only then it is almost pointless having water cooled TIG in your garage.The decision has to be made if you are welding aluminium in AC I think.  At my work all AC/DC units used for aluminium have water coolers.  At home I chose to fit an air cooled 17 series torch my 200 amp AC/DC machine. I can weld 10mm aluminium if I have to, but not for minutes at a time. Which I never need to do anyway.A good tip is to try and match the duty cycle of your torch to the machine. This way u know when you feel your torch getting hot then your machine is reaching its max duty cycle.A package from a well known company usually has the appropriate torch on it.DO NOT buy a Chinese water cooled torch. Electricity and water is dangerous and only reputable brands can be trusted.I also advise not to buy Chinese if your buying an AC/DC tig.  Iv seen nothing but problems from Chinese units from inaccessible machine pats to features not even properly functioning out of the box.Hope this was helpful
Reply:Welcome to the forum.  I have a size 20 wc torch and it is way more comfortable to weld with compared to my 17 air cooled.  BTW: it is the CK 20 with 25' superflex lines mentioned above.Last edited by storeman; 09-03-2014 at 06:07 AM.30+ yrs Army Infantry & Field Artillery, 25 yrs agoMiller 350LX Tig Runner TA 210, spool gunLincoln 250/250 IdealArcESAB PCM 500i PlasmaKazoo 30"  vert BSKazoo 9x16 horiz BSClausing 12x24 lathe20T Air Press